10-year-old Erie County boy found hanged

The 10-year-old loved his family, sports -- basketball and football -- and his cat, Dexter. Most of all, he idolized his older brother, Rodney, 16.

When Rodney got new shoes, for example, Zachery would want the same pair, said Guy Krause, the boyfriend of Zachery's mother, Robin Malott. Zachery always looked up to his brother, Krause said.

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Zachery died Sunday from hanging, but a ruling on the reason for the death was not available as of yesterday, according to the Erie County Coroner's Office.

Sheriff's deputies said Krause found Zachery at about 5 p.m. when he went to check on him.

The boy was hanging by a noosed scarf from a metal curtain rod, deputies reported.

Deputies also found a wooden box labeled "Zac" that contained five Clonazepam pills, which are used to treat panic attacks. The pills are believed to be prescribed to a family member, according to the sheriff's office.

Deputies reported that Zachery had been diagnosed with ADHD. His mother told deputies he had been weaned off medication and not taken medication since June.

Malott told deputies she never would have suspected Zachery was capable of harming himself and that there was no indication he intended to do so.

"This is a horrible tragedy," said Chief Deputy Jared Oliver of the Erie County Sheriff's Office. "We have a pretty good idea of what happened, but we're waiting for the autopsy report, and we're waiting for the identification of who those pills belong to and then we'll know more."

Zachery's family is still struggling to understand the incident, though Krause said he is certain it was an accident.

Zachery had been playing the video game "Call of Duty: Black Ops 2" for the past few days. The game was a reward for being on the merit roll at Firelands Elementary School, Krause said. The day of the incident, Zachery had spoken to Krause at about 10:30 a.m., his eyes red from playing the video game all night.

His mother told deputies Zachery asked to stay home from school Monday. He had recently been suspended for two days for fighting with another boy, deputies said.

Zachery went upstairs to take a nap at about 1 p.m. after having done some chores around the house.

His mother checked in on him at about 1:30 p.m. and he was asleep, she told deputies.

The next time he was seen was when Krause discovered him, deputies reported.

"There were no signs whatsoever," Krause said. "That's what we don't understand as parents."

The family moved to Wakeman two years ago from Lorain.

Krause said he watched Zachery grow up for the past five years, and in that time he has seen Zachery as a boy who loved life and often conveyed his love to his parents.

"Zach was a very loving person," Krause said. "Even if he was getting on a school bus, he'd tell his mom he loved her."

Zachery is survived by his mother, his father Rodney Malott Sr., his older brother Rodney Clayton Malott and his sisters Courtney Hamar and Brittany Hamar and other family members.

The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 24 at Riddle Funeral Home, 5345 South St., Vermilion. Interment will follow at Birmingham Cemetery near the family's home.

The closeness of the cemetery will allow Zachery to be with his family, Krause said.

"We miss him, and we're always going to miss him," Krause said with a crack in his voice. "It is going to be like his home, even though he will not be."